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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28735851">A Lesson in Vengeance</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/no_nutcracker/pseuds/no_nutcracker'>no_nutcracker</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Episode: s05e07 A Lesson in Vengeance, Protective Arthur</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 13:01:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,079</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28735851</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/no_nutcracker/pseuds/no_nutcracker</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>That talk after Merlin's been freed from jail goes a bit differently.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gwen &amp; Merlin (Merlin), Gwen/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Knights of the Round Table &amp; Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Knights of the Round Table &amp; Merlin (Merlin), Merlin &amp; Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>184</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Lesson in Vengeance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Because Arthur cares and that episode left me with lots of feels*</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>'It seems like we’ve both been through something of an ordeal.'</p><p>Arthur gestures towards a chair. Merlin does not move and stays standing near the door. His posture is of a subservient servant. Which Merlin definitely is not.</p><p>Arthur stares at him.</p><p>Merlin keeps silent and looks anywhere but at Arthur.</p><p>Arthur tightens his hold on his quill. 'Merlin,' he calls. Merlin hums but still avoids his gaze. 'I’m sorry about what happened to you. Truly. As soon as I heard, I told them it couldn’t have been you who poisoned me. I had the cook confirm your alibi.'</p><p>His insides are still in knots. How could his moronic knights -Merlin's friends!- have thought Merlin capable of hurting him? Merlin who has stood by Arthur for close to ten years. Merlin who faced a dragon with him, who affronted Morgana everytime she took the throne, who stood by him when everyone Arthur loved and trusted betrayed him. <em>Merlin</em> who almost died countless times for Arthur because he is a reckless idiot who values his King's life more than his own, even when Arthur would rather sacrifice himself than let the idiot die?!</p><p>Arthur could understand Guenevere's actions. (No. He could not. Guenevere and Merlin had been friends long before Arthur came into the picture. In her right state, Guenevere would never have accused Merlin of all people! What the hell happened?!) Because he had been dying and she had feared she was losing him. They had been betrayed so many times and, years later, Morgana's betrayal still hurts painfully. It's a not a huge jump to think such a betrayal could happen again. (But Merlin? How could Guenevere have thought Merlin would harm Arthur?!)</p><p>Arthur could not, <strong>refused</strong> to understand his knights' actions. </p><p>Arthur's first knight, levelheaded Leon, had known Merlin longer that Arthur's other knights. And Leon has known Arthur the longest, he had seen the way Arthur has changed in Merlin's presence. How much of a positive impact Merlin had on him. Because Arthur can admit he used to be a thougthless prat in his youth and that only Merlin was able to cure that and push his better self to the front. Leon should know it too. How could he think Merlin would entertain nefarious thoughts against Arthur when Merlin is the reason Arthur is the kind of man Leon is proud to call his King?</p><p>What about calm, observant Percival? How could Arthur's most gentle knight let that happen? Arthur remembers all too well that he only met him because he was accompagnying Lancelot all these years ago. And while Arthur still feels slighted by Lancelot's betrayal, he remembers that the man had been endlessly loyal to Merlin. Percival had sworn when Lancelot had died (the first time) that he would be as loyal to Merlin as his friend had been, in his memory. Arthur cannot imagine that Lancelot's return and following betrayal had changed that. Or did it?</p><p>And Gwaine. Oh, Gwaine. Arthur had a lot to say about the man. Gwaine who'se first friend since forever was Merlin. Gwaine who used to lend them help only when Merlin was the one asking. Gwaine who only became a knight of Camelot because he believed in Merlin, not because of Arthur or some loyalty to the Kingdom. <em>Gwaine</em>. The man Arthur used to call Merlin's knight.</p><p><strong>Gwaine</strong>. Who Arthur could strangle with his bare hands for the way he treated Merlin.</p><p>What happened to cause his knights to turn away from their friend?!</p><p>And what about alibis? Research? If Arthur could not count on the weight of friendship then he should be able to rely on knight's duty! Yet, none of those runts made an effort to search for a way to prove Merlin's obvious innocence. None of them, brainless morons, chose to search for answers, even less speak in Merlin's defence. They just left him be taken away like a common criminal and be thrown into the dungeons.</p><p>Arthur's quill snaps.</p><p>Merlin does not react.</p><p>Arthur takes a deep breath.</p><p>When Merlin still fails to respond, Arthur decides to be brave and asks the question that has been plaguing his thoughts. 'Do you think you could forgive them one day?'</p><p>Arthur knows he himself won't. Merlin is supposed to be their friend. Merlin is Arthur's best friend. Merlin is <strong>family</strong> to Arthur. Arthur won't forget what his knights did nor will he forgive. Arthur knows all to well how grief can upset someone and change them. It is how he'll explain Guenevere's actions (because nothing else makes sense) but it is no excuse. His knights are supposed to be able to put their feelings to the side to accomplish their duty, to keep their head on their shoulders no matter the crisis they encounter. Instead, they blinded themself from the truth and hurt Merlin.</p><p>Merlin finally looks away from his contemplation of Arthur's room and stares back at him. 'No, I won't. But thank you for asking.' His tone of voice is pleasant but his stance is still rigidly cold and his eyes are empty. Devoid of any emotion. </p><p>It chills Arthur.</p><p>'That’s very thoughtful of you,' his friend adds blandly.</p><p>His friend. The only one that stands on equal ground with Guenevere in Arthur's heart and esteem. The one person Arthur trusts more than his own wife. </p><p>His friend Merlin who already suffered from the knights actions when they forgot him in Ismere and left him in enemy territory.</p><p>Is this what happens everytime Arthur is not there to remind them to be decent and honorable? They conveniently leave Merlin behind and leave him to be hurt?</p><p>Is this what Arthur taught them?</p><p>How long has this been going on?</p><p>Arthur is painfully reminded of words said not too long ago. He can not help but ask again. 'I have not seen you smile those last few weeks.'</p><p>Merlin continues to stare at him with those same empty eyes. 'I don't see what there's to smile about,' Merlin repeats.</p><p>Arthur thinks he gets it now.</p><p>He does not know what he'll do yet to mend Guenevere and Merlin's relationship but Arthur swears he'll try. He is not going to let the two people he loves the most be total strangers.</p><p>As for his knights. Arthur is gonna crush them.  And when he'll be done with them, they will rue the day they chose to stop seeing Merlin as someone to protect and support.</p>
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